mari4212

Wet on: Carnation! Sweet and mildly spicy. Initial drydown: Still mostly the carnation, with perhaps an extra touch of sweet from the honey and spice from the cardamon. This is essentially carnation accentuated with more of itself. Later drydown: second verse, same as the first: this doesn't mutate much on me. Not a super-strong throw, after the first five minutes, but it's present and lovely.

On, wet: Hello almond! This is an almost cherry almond, and on wet it reminds me of Fruitcake, the imp-with-purchase I forget how many Christmases ago. Initial drydown: The cherry undertone dies down, and there's a bit of rose peaking through. It's not a heady, overwhelming rose, it's a bit softer. Very much the rose petals, beginning to dry out for potpourri. I'm searching for it, and I get a hint of drier spice right at the tail end. later drydown: soft rose and spices, with maybe a hint of fig in the very background. The almond dissipated faster than anything else. For me this ends up being a rather gentle scent, after the initial kick of almond. I want to see what happens as it ages a bit, and on a slightly cooler set of days to see if that changes how fast the almond goes away. As it is, this ends up being a softer, more backdrop scent than the other one I picked up from this series.

On wet, straight after arrival and rather warm from the heat of the day: red fruits. This smells a bit like pomegranates, which I think is the strawberry and blackcurrant together. It does have some pretty strong throw at first, so I wouldn't wear this in a confined space or a crowd. Initial drydown: the red fruits have stepped back a lot, but are still present. Sandalwood is coming forward, along with an almost coconut wood backing. Later drydown: In this heat, my skin is eating through this one quickly. It ends as a soft skin musk with a touch of warmth from the sandalwood.

Wet on skin: there's a strong classical perfumey edge to this at first, which I think is a mix of the oude and the orange blossom floral. This is a bit sharper than I normally like my perfumes to be. Initial drydown: VPD loses the sharp edge that was making me unsure of it, and the amber kicks in to mellow out the other notes. Now it's more of a rounded perfume, with a bit more sweetness to it. Later: This softens with the amber as it goes. I'm still getting flashes of sweetness from the orange blossom. Overall, it's really hard to pick out individual notes on this perfume, they all blend into one another.

It was Casca who gave him the first blow with his dagger, in the neck, not a mortal wound, nor even a deep one, for which he was too much confused, as was natural at the beginning of a deed of great daring; so that Caesar turned about, grasped the knife, and held it fast. At almost the same instant both cried out, the smitten man in Latin: Accursed Casca, what does thou? Plutarch The shattered, splintering gasp of betrayal: ambergris, verbena, neroli, and a glint of razor-sharp elemi. Wet on skin: Lemon is the most prominent note, a very straight lemon that doesn't go cleaning supplies or super foodie. That's probably the verbena, possibly also the neroli and elemi giving more citrus notes. Initial drydown; lemon is still most prominent, but there's something else smoothing out the undertones; the ambergris is coming out a bit more and adding some depth and almost creaminess to the scent. After an hour or two: the ambergris has taken center stage, and what a lovely stage it is. This stays a light and sweet skin-scent throughout, without much wafting. It's very similar at this stage to Lyonesse, with just a hint of the citrus remaining.

Wet on skin: So my mother, when I was a child, had a bunch of perfume bottles shaped like women in various ethnic clothing from around the world. I never knew what scent was in the bottles, but I loved looking at them and playing with them. Wet on the skin this smelled exactly like those bottles did: golden and perfumey, with no one note I could pull out. I'm betting that in this case it's the iris note playing out. Initial drydown: This has softened and sweetened the way most vanilla scents do on me. The initial "perfumey" note has faded a bit, and I've got something soft-edged and golden from it. There is a trace of powder, and very soft floral notes, but nothing is intense or strong. This will be a great skin scent, and it does feel sophisticated and classic. Later: This fades down into a sweet powder scent as the day goes past. I think I'm catching hints of the orange blossom at the end.

On wet: earth and pine trees. Letting this one sit and age about 8 months before I tried it, I think the patchouli starts strongest, with the green of the coffee beans coming in a bit. Initial drydown: Still strongly patchouli, with a hint of sweetness that is probably the vanilla. The earthiness of the patchouli stays very close to the skin, the further out I smell it the sweeter and creamier the scent becomes. Later drydown: After a while, the patchouli fades, and what is left is a soft, somewhat musky scent with a bit more of the spices that were hidden until now. It's a very soft and light take off of something like Snake Oil. Overall impressions: this is a grounded and warm perfume, easily approachable and somewhat gentle underneath.

On wet/early drydown: chamomile, with a bit of honey and an herbal spice that is probably the carnation kicking in, with a minty undertone. More of a golden/straw scent as opposed to a green-grass herbal. On for a while: still straw/chamomile with honey, a bit more of the lavender is making an appearance. I think the straw note I'm getting is the thistles. I was hoping for a bit more of the florals, or a slightly stronger honey. But as it is, this is a nice, gentle scent, and rather soothing.

On wet: It's the patchouli dirt scent that I was expecting, with a hint of benzoin sweetness underneath. Initial drydown: The scents have muted and blended together, with the patchouli still the predominant note. It's a sweet, earthy scent. Later drydown: As it dries it continues to mellow and sweeten out. Whereas on the initial drydown the emphasis was on the patchouli, the lingering note here is benzoin/vanilla, with just a bit of depth to keep it from being simple. It ages into a scent I'd love to nuzzle in closer to, with not much throw.

If you found Antique Lace similar, try out Morocco. They don't have any of the same listed notes, but on me Morocco is a dead ringer for Antique Lace, very much a warm/soft vanilla musk.

Really, Shub-Niggaruth is the most ginger-cookie scent I've smelled from BPAL. And to make it better, it's GC and impable.

It might be too heavy for what you want, but my first instinct on smoky vanilla is Antikytheria Mechanism. On me it starts out very strongly smoky, but after the first half hour dies back to a mild smoky vanilla with wood undertones. If what you want is more airy vanilla, I will definitely second Morocco. I get almost no carnation from it, it's more of a straight-up dupe of Antique Lace on me; a warm, soft vanilla musk.

For floral vanilla, have you tried Mouse's Long and Sad Tale? It's vanilla, sweet pea, and amber, and it's one of my all-time favorite scents.

Vanilla-heavy scents oftentimes read maternal, as well as anything baked-goods style, as that hits the stereotype of mother/nurturer baking and feeding people. Morocco, Lyonesse, Tombstone, Boo, all of those work for the vanilla-focused scents. Bread and Butter-fly, Eat Me, maybe Shub-Nigguruth are all baked-goods scents off the top of my head. As well as vanilla-scents, I'd go for sweet spicy scents like Chimera.

9/15 Do you like s'mores and s'mores-flavored things? Not really. I'm not a huge marshmallow person. What's the neatest freebie you've gotten? It can be cool or thoughtful or just totally unexpected, and not limited to BPALdom. There's too many wonderful things. I think one really cool thing was that my witchee last year turned around and witched me, sending me three full bottles of BPAL after the round was over. 9/16 Would you enjoy receiving cute but useful items like colorful kitchen utensils/gadgets, or bento supplies? (boxes, chopsticks, accessories, etc?) What about things like spice mixes (homemade, or Penzey's for example) Bento supplies not so much, because we're in a de-clutter mode. I'd love spice mixes, especially things like curry powders or your favorite spice mix. And we could always use extra kitchen towels and washcloths. Preferably in blue/blue and white. Do you like cute, seasonal or fluffy PJ bottoms? Like they sell at Target, Old Navy (they have had cute Halloween ones!) If so, what size do you wear? I don't wear pajama bottoms, I'm more of a nightgown girl. What kind of chocolate do you like? Nuts, no nuts, white,dark, etc? Mostly I'm a milk chocolate girl. I love mint, mazipan, candied fruits, almonds/hazelnuts. I'm not a big Hersheys/Nestle person. Ghiradelli/Lindt is great, as is random international chocolate. I live near a Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Penzeys! What does your little heart desire from any or all of these places? I live near a Trader Joe's, but don't get ther that much. I love the triple-ginger cookies from Trader Joe's, as well as the chocolate meringues. Most of the other things I love from there are frozen/refridgerated, and wouldn't ship well. Ooh, but I'd just forgotten, this is the time of year they start having pumpkin and apple butters, and I do love those. Are home made foods acceptable or does the idea of eating strange mailed food disturb you? I would love homemade foods of any kind, especially if you included the recipes. I just gave you $20 and sent you into a "has everything" store ala Walmart and told you that you have to come out having spent it all, and none of it on anything you need. What would you buy? Be as specific as possible! Hmm. I'd probably get some nail polish in either a light pink/neutral, or in a lighter colored oddball color. I had a green/purple colorshift that I liked, but it dried out. I might also get some bath salts/bath bombs, and maybe some barettes/hair ties. What kind of cuisines do you like? (I mentioned this in my ?aire but curious what my witch may like)And, what are your favorite restaurants? I'm pretty open on cuisines, with a preference towards Italian, Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Irish, French, et cetera. As for restaurants, in terms of chain restaurants I like Panera Bread and Dewey's Pizza. The non-chain restaurants I love in the Dayton area are The Pub at the Greene, Sunrise Cafe in Yellow Springs, and The Inn at Versailes. I'm from Canada - is there anything specifically a witchee might like that is only available here? Maple syrup/Maple candies? My mother is from Vermont, with the deep love of all things maple from there. And if there is something you love from whereever you live that travels well, try me on it. what are your "fandoms" and would you like a t-shirt from TeeFury if an appropriate one came up? I love Doctor Who, Firefly, JossVerse, Star Trek, Movieverse Avengers/Captain America, Lord of the Rings, Muppets/Labyrinth, and Babylon 5, of fandoms that are likely to be on TeeFury. I've not gotten anything from TeeFury before, and would probably suggest ThinkGeek instead. Do you have an eReader and if so which one? No eReader, sorry. Do you like candles, or tart burners, or something? If so, what's your favorite scent to burn? I love candles, especially beeswax or soy candles. I'm not a huge parafin fan. I love vanillas, sandalwood/rose, lavender, coffee, chocolate, and warm/spicy/wood scents. Marzipan? Yes please! Would you be interested in washable/reusable muslin “paper” towels (basically muslin squares hemmed around the edge)? Maybe in some sort of box to put on your kitchen or bathroom counter? I've already got washcloths, so I don't think the muslin cloths would be enough of a function, especially since we're mostly using paper towels as grease-catchers/drainers after frying something. Do you drink alcohol and if so, would you be OK with your witch sending you homemade infused vodka? Also, does your state allow alcohol to be shipped through the mail? I do drink alcohol, but not vodka, as I'm such a lightweight. I like hard ciders and mead. I don't know if alcohol can be shipped through my state unless it's licensed. If you're interested in sending me non-home-made booze this is a local winery that makes mead and ice wine that I like. https://www.valleyvineyards.com/orderonline/confirm_age.html If you get me (or a fellow Aussie, if there are any playing this round) as a witch or witch's minion, would you like to try some Australian specialties, such as TimTams (delicious chocolately cookies), Caramello Koalas (koala shaped chocolates filled with gloopy caramel), Australian native spices or anything like that? TimTams are so much love. I'm not huge on caramel, but any native spice blends would be wonderful. If your witch is a knitter, crocheter or sewer, is there a particular type of garment you would love to receive (hat, scarf, wrap, cowl, socks, fingerless gloves, arm warmers etc)? Socks and fingerless gloves would be wonderful. I love knitting, but have not made socks yet. Please be careful if you use wool, I seem to be sensitive to some wools, and my mother is allergic. I personally love alpaca, silk, and cotton, and the fiber blend I keep going back and petting any time is 70/30 alpaca/silk. Is there anyone else in your house (kids, pets, partner) that would really appreciate a small gift being included for them in the switchwitchy haul so they don't feel left out? No one will be feeling super left out, I don't think. I live with my parents and my brother and my severly disabled sister. If you do feel the need to witch my family as well as myself, Dad likes foxes, Mom likes teapots and mice, Thomas loves dinosaurs and art supplies, and Sara loves the beaded necklaces like from Mardi Gras. Since it's been mentioned several times, and I've also offered to nacho witch some, would you you like to receive wild rice and or maple syrup? I promise to include recipe ideas with the wild rice. Both sound wonderful. I have 5 bushels of tomatoes sitting in the kitchen right now that are supposed to turn into red sauce tomorrow, so would anyone like a basic red sauce (spaghetti sauce) to make its way to them? No thanks, we've got tons of tomatoes we're trying to use up ourselves. How would you feel about a taste of (insert witch location here) box? Sounds great Last year, my wonderful witch Alethia adopted a bat for me from batworld.org, a bat rescue and sanctuary. Bat's World Would you be interested in having a bat adopted in your name? This was my question, and I'd love having another bat adopted for me. 9/17 Some of your favorite artists? Classic and modern? I think I answered this last year as well, but in general I'm a big fan of the Pre-Raphelites: Waterhouse, Leighton, and so forth. I also like Bottechelli, Mucha, van Gogh, et cetera. f you could have an image or certain subject painted for you on any type of "canvas" (on a box, on paper, on a canvas, and so on) - could you point your witch to some of these images? Subjects: Dragons, gryphons, fairy tale references in general. Is there a GC scent that's been on your list for ages but keeps falling off the bottom of your order because of the LEs? Someday I need to buckle down and pick up a bottle of straight Snake Oil to age. Otherwise, a backup bottle of TKO or an imp pack of various RPG oils? I've been getting into indie nail polish brands recently. What's your favorite indie brand of nail polish? Or what's your favorite mainstream brand of nail polish? Or are you not big on polish? I don't know much about indie nail polishes. Of the mainstream that I've tried, which is limited, the Sally Hanson Hard as Diamonds seems to do well and not chip. Stuffed things: yea or nay? As in stuffed animals and such? I used to collect teddy bears when I was young, but I did a major purge when I hit college, and only have a few sentimental favorites. I like the giantmicrobes.com plushies, and did at one point dance around the house chanting "I have Ebola" when my first witch sent me one. mix-in-a-jar? How to you feel about cookie or cake or soup mixes that come in jars and you just add, like, an egg or water or what have you? Would be interesting, but I'd probably just prefer the recipe itself. I live near this very cool Retro store (you can order online too) - are there things from it that would make you squee if your witch sent them? Having looked at the stuff there, most isn't so much my taste, actually. I look at the retro humor and laugh, but I don't want to keep it. I like the dresses in general, comes from having a 40's type body (strongly hourglass). Nothing there is screaming my name, though. Ninjas or Pirates? You know? I'm not much fussed for either. Possibly ninjas. I have an extra room spray and 2 extra bath oils (one Cephalopod, one Exhibit Hall Fatigue) from Dragon*Con - would anybody like a decant? I've not tried any of the bath oils from BPTP in general, I wouldn't mind a decant. I live near a Mast General Store. It has lots of vintage-y toys, southern foods (jams, jellies, spices) and vintage candy. Is there anything I can get for you? I would love to try out jams/jellies, especially things like apple butter or pumpkin butter. Do you have any Fall or Halloween traditions? Fall is the time for apple cider, visiting the Ohio Renfaire, and baking cookies and drinking large amounts of hot tea. My family got a fire pit last year and we will spend Halloween/Beggar's night outdoors with a fire in the firepit, handing out candy. a) Are you OK with "special deliveries"? Is the address in your questionnaire the best place to reach you for said deliveries? c) If the delivery requires a phone number (as say, some florists do) would you be OK with that information being tracked down by your Witch or asked of you anonymously? Okay by all three. I would love random flowers, not so much the singing teddy bear telegram. Currently, I'm at the house with small children underfoot all day, so use your discretion and make sure nothing you send would be of the sort to wake an infant up from a nap. Cranky overtired infants = massive Mari headaches = not a happy witchee. Would you be interested in beer, wine, or other specialty beverages from your Witch's area? I can't stand the taste of beer, so any you send would be passed straight on to my father, brother, and the sister who does not live in my home. They all love microbrews, normally the darker the better. I like sweet dessert wines, but I'm not a huge drinker in general. And I think I mentioned earlier, I love hard ciders and mead. Are there any crafts/skills you've wanted to learn but haven't gotten around to? And if so, would you be interested in supplies and tutorials? I currently knit and sew a lot, and am beginning to do more jewelry-making, focusing on viking wire weaving. I would love supplies for all three crafts, but don't really have space or time to branch much further. Who here would be happy to get a lil' sumthin sumthin from Adagio Teas? Extremely happy! I love their Valentine's Tea, and I will never turn down Earl Grey tea in most variations. I'm a big fan in general of flavored black teas, especially with flavors like vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, or spiced teas in general. And I'm geeky enough to enjoy some of the fandom blends relevant to my fandom tastes (it looks like Cara McGee has a lot of interesting ones, especially the Avengers and Doctor Who based blends. Of those, Son of Coul, Steve Rodgers, Tony Stark, and TARDIS all look awesome.) Do you Ravelry? And if so, what's your handle over there? Would you be interested in gift patterns from your queue? I am on ravelry, as mari4212. I don't think I have any patterns in my favorites/queue that aren't free. I would love yarn, I think I've mentioned before. Specifically lace/fingering weight Alpaca/silk blends are my favorites, and at the last fiber festival, I fell in love with the feel of the Malabrigo lace-weight yarn, and would love getting like two skeins in any of their blue/purple/blue-toned green/grey colors and colorways. Who likes Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses? Not a huge fan of Hershey's in general. Put your iPod/MP3 player/what-have-you on random and list the first 10 songs it plays! I'll come back to this question, I don't have my music on this computer. 1. Stepsister's Lament, Rodgers' and Hammerstein's Cinderella 2. All Alone, Spamalot Soundtrack 3. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Heather Dale 4. Wake me up, When September Ends, Green Day 5. Tryin' to Find A Reason, Martina McBride 6. Come and Be Welcome, Heather Dale 7. Close Your Eyes, Carrie Newcomer 8. The Gospel Truth, Hercules Soundtrack 9. My Life Would Suck Without You, Glee Cast 10. Confrontation, Les Miserables soundtrack Witchee, what are your favorite quotes? "Here is my secret. It's quite simple: One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes....People have forgotten this truth, but you mustn't forget it. You become responsible forever for that which you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose." The Fox, The Little Prince No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee. ~John Donne To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch… to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!” – Emerson The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discovery, is not "Eureka!" but, "That's funny..." ~Issac Asimov Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup. “The true delight is in the finding out rather than in the knowing.”~Asimov "Love is something more stern and splendid than mere kindness."~Lewis, The Problem of Pain "I said what I ment and I meant what I said, an elephant's faithful, one hundred percent." Horton the Elephant Some humans would do anything to see if it was possible to do it. If you put a large switch in some cave somewhere, with a sign on it saying 'End-of-the-World Switch. PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH', the paint wouldn't even have time to dry.” ― Terry Pratchett, Thief of Time Stories of imagination tend to upset those without one.” ― Terry Pratchett “I meant," said Ipslore bitterly, "what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?" Death thought about it. CATS, he said eventually. CATS ARE NICE.” ― Terry Pratchett, Sourcery “The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.” ― Terry Pratchett, Monstrous Regiment ...I'm going to stop here while I'm ahead. What's one random thing you really like and one random thing you really dislike? One random thing I like? Dragonflies. Dislike? Sudden loud noises. Are there any herbs that you haven't been able to lay hands on that I could send you? There's an herbal shop I really like here in NYC called Flower Powerthat has quite a wide selection. Hmm. Food-grade lavender would be nice. I have a shortbread recipe that works really well with it. If there are no "witchy" shops near you, is there anything I can pick up for you from Enchantments? Not so much. Though, if you are interested in that type of things, I would love a copy of the Fairy Tale tarot by Lisa Hunt 9/18 Are you a gamer (of any sort - video, casual, tabletop) and are there any games you want? I'm not a huge gamer, though I have done RPG games in the past. I don't have a group to do them with right now. It's not a big priority, but if you spot The Dresden Files RPG game book set, I would love to have a copy, if only for all the marginalia. Do you like coffee? If so, what kinds? Flavored, fancy, basic? Beans or ground? I do like coffee, not as much as I like tea, but it is nice. I am a big fan of flavored/sweet coffees. My oldest sister has been known to say that our coffee orders reflect our personalities. She's strong, dark, and bitter, I'm sweetness and light. Would a Starbucks gift card make you happy or do you prefer your local place? I was about to say there wasn't really a big local place, but we do actually have one, it's just pretty far to walk for me. Really, rather than Starbucks, I'd prefer Panera, my friends and I go there more often than we do Starbucks. Would you be interested in BPTP CANDY? Definitely not the black cherry. Too much time trying to swallow nasty cough medicine, any cherry flavor that isn't actually the cherries themselves fresh tastes horrible to me. In general, I'm not a huge hard candy person, and that's what it seems likely that those would be. CUSTOM-Made Pottery?? yea or nay? coffee mugs, rustic or more elegant? a set of bowls? soap dish? bird feeder? something alltogether different? and lastly, good colors for glazes...? That sounds amazing! In order of preference, mugs, then bowls. I mentioned in the main thread that I'd seen yarn bowls and thought they were pretty, but I don't think I'd actually use one if you gave it to me. I tend to knit on the go and out of a craft bag. The yarn bowl would sit on a shelf until a cat tripped on it and knocked it down. Songs that you keep meaning to buy but never get round to it? Not so much individual songs (I remain one of the few people I know who has not gotten an mp3 player or itunes on my computer. I would love CDs from Great Big Sea, any of them since I don't have any of theirs. I think I currently have all of the Carry Newcomer cds out. Heather Dale would be nice, especially the albums: Call the Names, Fairytale, Road to Santiago, This Endris Night, or Gabriel Hounds. Movies that you love but forgot to put in your questionaire? I don't think so? Name one movie you keep meaning to buy, but just never get around to getting? A DVD version of Princess Bride. We had the VHS, but our VHS player is dead. Using that logic, The Muppet Movie (the original one). Of the more recent movies, um, Captain America or Avengers when it comes out. Any favorite Bath & Body Works scents/products? Not really. If you're giving me something in that vein, I'd prefer if you bought from Paintbox or got me something to try from Lush. Haus of Gloi is offering custom perfumes - would you like one? What would your ideal blend be? Okay, finally found it to look at the note list. Of that list: Chrysanthemum, Mahogany, Vanilla, Honey and Beeswax. Any Bath, Body or nutritional type items you would love to try from a Natural and Organic food store (similar to Whole Foods) that you don't buy because they are a bit too pricey? Not really. Tell me of your taste preferences. Dry/sweet? Red/white? Lager/ale/porter/stout? Fruit? Spice? Hops? Sour (brettanomyces, etc)? I think I've mentioned where I fit on the alcohol spectrum. No beer, not huge on most wines but I'm willing to try a few, mead and cider are good. are there any if MeiLin's books (e-book or print) you'd be interested in? Not really. I'm about to be near a Lush store next week, is there anything you might like from there? I know I mentioned products I'd love to try in my questionaire. In general, bath bombs/melts/bubble bars are good; vanilla, honey, lavender, and rose are fantastic smells; jasmine is an evil note of death and instant headache. I wouldn't mind trying the peppermint foot cream, or a good conditioner/body lotion, but those aren't priorities. Lush also offers henna, I know. My mother has been meaning to try henna on her hair for a while, to see if she can get the greys back to being the red highlights they were before. Witchee, will you be gone from your normal mailing address at any point during the round? I mentioned not being at home this coming weekend, but that's it as far as I know. Are you a Disney fan or does even thinking about Disney make your head hurt? If you're into Disney, would you like something from the Happiest Place on Earth ? I have a fondness for some of the golden age of Disney, pretty much from Little Mermaid/Beauty and the Beast through to Hunchback/Mulan. I'm not into that much Disney-related stuff though. dear witchee, would you, could you use an electric candle warmer? i'm talking something like this. Not right now. Do you lust after some new socks/tights? I could always use some new tights. I mentioned wearing a lot of skirts, and tights are good for layering. Plus, I have dancer's legs and socks often fall down. I've never tried Sockdreams, but the bamboo tights look cute and practical. 9/19 You are meeting up with someone on a casual lunch/early afternoon thing. This person is someone you want to impress/look good for (for whatever reason, not necessarily romantic, and not necessarily for business either). What would you look like, given the contents of your wardrobe/etc? In this weather? Probably dark-washed boot cut jeans or a long grey a-line skirt with my teal cowl-necked sweater, black boots (with a small heel), and a pearl necklace. Hair would most likely either be in a figure eight bun (the no time to do anything elegant hairstyle) or in a braid around my head. You are to be let loose in a clothing store of your choice, to pick a full outfit, down to the shoes, the accessories, etc. and things would be altered to fit you if needed. What store would that be, and what would you look like? I'd probably go online to someplace like Modcloth, and maybe get a dress like this: http://www.modcloth.com/shop/dresses/pine-all-mine-dress. I'd go for a simple cardigan to layer over for warmth, ballet flats like this: http://www.modcloth.com/shop/shoes-flats/a-night-to-remember-flat-in-copper, and this necklace, since I need to replace/repair my necklace watch anyway: http://www.modcloth.com/shop/necklaces/very-important-date-necklace You open a box from the post office to reveal the 3 things you want most right now. What are they? (caveats: size doesn't matter, but they have to be tangible/buyable). Loose-leaf tea from Adagio, a Jo Graham novel (one of her Stargate/Stargate Atlantis novels, I've got pretty much all of her other books), and, um, a print/poster of a Pre-Raphelite painting. I had a hard time thinking of things that were buyable off the top of my head. I hope I'm not making you rip your hair out, dear witch. WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH YOUR ASS OFF!!! movies, comedians, black humor, your partner, a comic strip? what? Terry Pratchett novels, Monty Python, some of my livejournal friends, in general humor that is clever and pokes at the absurdity of life, not nasty or based on embarassment. Things where you laugh with, not at. And a hefty dosage of snark/sarcasm, because tht makes the world go around. Candy Corn? I love it in small quantities, too much and it's just too much. I live in Japan. Anything you would be interested in from there? Fans? Sweet Potato flavored kit kats? Random bits of Sailor Moon related work, as I have an abiding fondness for that manga/anime/live action show for all the fantastic female characters being awesome and friends and saving the world (if it's at least subtitled in English). Anything you love from where you live that you'd want to share with me. If you have cats, do they like catnip toys? If you have doggies, would they like a super-reinforced canvas toy with a squeaker in it? Schroedinger does like catnip, we've never tried Eurydice on it but she'd probably enjoy that too. If you have kids, what are they into? No kids of my own, I spend way too much time working/volunteering with the day care kids to make my own. How do you feel about wearable knitted lace? Shawls, wraps, and the like? I would love it! I'm working on knitting my first lace shawl right now. Please not straight wool, my mother is allergic and I find a lot of it itchy, though there are exceptions (malabrigo, for example, felt nice when I tried it at the yarn fest). I know I mentioned loving alpaca and alpaca/silk blends before. Looking at the warehouse, I notice that our lovely Greenwoodtree is able to do chart readings and/or forecasts at a very reasonable rate. Is this something you would want? I'd at least be curious about it. I've liked reading jarvenpa's analyses before, but I've never had mine read. Do you have a forum buddy? Someone who knows you and/or your tastes well enough to answer questions on your behalf? Not so much on the forum, really. Many of my livejournal friends have known me longer and with more conversation time spent. If you are on Livejournal, would you appreciate LJ stuff like paid time, custom userheads, stuff like that? If you are NOT on LJ but are on other sites that have similar paid-for services (Flickr, for example?) would you, and what are those sites/etc? I am on LJ, but don't really use/covet the paid features. if you are into tarot, what is your favorite card? Not hugely into tarot, but my favorite card, for the symbolism of the girl and the lion, is Strength. Maybe it's the being a fan of Chronicles of Narnia, that hits my love of Lucy and Aslan. It's also telling that the message of strength has more to do with gentleness than dominance would you like your own set of handmade rune stones or worry stones? Those I would probably not use. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cider, or none of the above? Tea, then cider, then coffee, then hot chocolate (at least comercial hot chocolate mixes, the mix my mother makes ranks above coffee. Gum, hard candy, soft candy, or none of the above? I like marzipan, a little bit of chocolate, and things like candied nuts, but I'm not a huge candy fan. It's September and I still have leftover Easter chocolate that gets saved for emergency purposes. Loose tea or tea bags? Do you need anything for your loose tea? (Filters, presses, etc.) If I have time, loose tea is preferable. Bags are also good, because I'm constantly making tea throughout the day with only one hand free. I've yet to see a difference worth the extra price for the pyramid tea bags, give me something flat instead. Do you do Goodreads or LibraryThing or a site like that? If so, can I see your to-read list, please? I don't actually use either site. I know I gave a list of books I'd like in my questionaire, and if you have more questions, please feel free to get specific with me. 9/20 What is your holy grail "I'd kill to just have one drop in an imp" bpal scent? Nothing that desperate, really. I do like both Harp of C’Noc L’Chosigar (I think I just butchered that spelling) and Gypsy Moth, but I have a lot of BPAL and will not weep if I never get any more of either of those. Are there any existing Weenies that you have your eye on, but haven't gotten around to getting? None so far. Maybe a decant of Perilous Parlor? if you wear earrings, do you have pierced ears? Mentioned this before, but my ears are not pierced and I have no plans to pierce them. 9/21 My Little Pony... Cute or meh? Semi-cute, but not really into it. I realize that we had a similar question in the ?aire, but I need you Witchee-s to list at least 5 items, each ranging $20 and under from Amazon.com or Walmart.com. Amazon.com I’d go on a book hunt. I just spotted Shadow of Albion by Andre Norton and Rosemary Edgehill at a local used book store, and it’s on amazon as well. After that, probably the books from Stargate Atlantis Legacy series, because they’re the Jo Graham books I haven’t read yet. The last would be The Unadulterated Cat by Terry Pratchett. Yeah, books and me, never a bad combination. Walmart.com would be utterly practical things like arch supports for flat shoes. I am not a major fan of Walmart’s ethics though. My new job is at a consignment store where we have all kinds of designer brands for very reasonable prices. Are there designer clothes/purses/sunglasses that you desire/love? (Give some indication as to your "style" as well. For example, do you like bohemian-style frocks in lavender? Crossbody purses in black? Sunglasses that are round and bug-like?) I’m not big on designer anything, really. My main concern with a purse is that it is relatively simple and clean in design, neutral enough to go with most of my outfits, and large enough to stuff at least a paperback book in alongside the other purse necessities. Currently my purse does all of those well enough to not need replacing. In the meantime, let me know what you like to do on the Internet to kill time. Flash games? What are your daily websites/blog visits, or favorite YouTube videos? I spend a lot of time on livejournal and on various fanfic websites. One of my favorite yearly fic exchanges, Yuletide, is starting nominations, so I’m figuring out which of my ultra-rare fandoms to request fanfic in. And what are your favourite characters from your fandoms? There’s a lot! Avengers: Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanova, Darcy Lewis, Peggy Carter. Merlin: All. Seriously, all of them, with a love of Morgana/Merlin, Gwen being awesome, all of the knights. NCIS: all of them again, special focus on Tony DiNozzo, Abby Sciuto, Gibbs, Ziva, Ducky, Palmer...yeah, much love for the team. Doctor Who: all companions pretty much ever. Not a huge fan of Tenth Doctor. So I have this thing where I love lots and lots of characters. I like the Paladin/Dutiful Soldier archetype, I like women being awesome in myriad ways, I like support staff. I like the occasional guy with daddy issues trying to save the day. 9/23 Lip balm - tube or tin? Tube, but I’m in decent shape when it comes to lip balm, really. Would you like to receive a journal or sketchbook? How about other pretty paper goods like post-its, notepads, bookmarks, letter paper/envelopes? I don’t think I’d use them as much. Are you interested in audiobooks? If so, any specific titles? Not really? I like to read my books, not so much listen to them. Bar soaps with some scrubby bits, yes or no? I tend to rub the bar soaps on a loofa and then rub myself with the loofa, so I don’t think it’s as effective for me. Do you need any small electronic gadgets like flash drives and the like? Not especially, I have a couple of flash drives. Would you like a pair of knitted socks? I’d love it if you like knitting. Do you have any use for knitted dishcloths, facecloths, etc, especially if they were fandom related? I have actually knit a few of the Dalek washcloths for a friend. I could always use a few dishcloths, and if they’re fandom related, please send along a link/copy of the pattern so I can geek out and make it myself. Do you subscribe to any sample boxes, and if so, which ones? Would you like to receive some samples? (perfume, eco/"green," skin care, hair, music downloads, cosmetics, soap...) I don’t subscribe to any sample boxes, currently, and I’m not sure I’ve seen any that I’ve been really drawn to. do you have a problem with nudes???Male or Female? I don’t have a problem with nudes, but at the same time, it’s not really my focus area in art either. People ask a lot of questions about dogs and cats, but I know a lot of forumites have rodent pets. How would you feel about hammocks or toys for your rats/hamsters/gerbils/etc.? No rodent pets, just kitties. 9/24 Paintbox Soapworks: Interested in anything from her? You already got me something from here, my dear witch, so I won’t be greedy. ThinkGeek: anything interesting to you on there? I know I said I liked this store before! I just saw the TARDIS teapot, which is awesome. The Exploding TARDIS poster, or the Firefly Les Femmes posters are also great. And there’s a little robot teaball that is adorable. What's one thing you want, right now, that you're having difficulty finding? I don’t have anything right off the top of my head. are there any e-tailers you're desperately wanting to try? if so, any specific items/scents/etc? Nothing I haven’t mentioned before, I don’t think.

Yummy. In the bottle, it's sweet, with an almost graham-cracker scent. On, it's vanilla, copal, and amber that take center stage. It's a creamy-warm scent, sweet and soft, but definitely present. I get wafts every time I move my wrists. This is only going to get better with age. I'm glad I splurged on a bottle right off the bat.

Looking at the note list, it seems like it's a grassy floral scent. Having not tried it myself, which notes ar dominant on you? For grass and floral notes, you might look at Garden Path with Chickens, in the Salon, The Apothocary in Illyria, Amsterdam or Glascow from Wanderlust, or layering Squirting Cucumber from Rappaccini's Garden over a light floral. If you want something to get across the misty or otherworldly qualities the reviewers were mentioning for Unseelie, try Moonshine and Mist, from Marchen.

You might get more of a response to this if you asked in the reccomendations forum. There's a thread there about finding GC (general collection) equivalents to the limited edition scents. As for why they don't just make the scent again, a lot of the time they only have a certain amount of one of the component oils, or they can't get it for a long time. Whenever they make a scent for the general collection, they're saying that they think they have everything in line to keep making that scent for years to come. Especially with the economic downturn of the past few years, they can't make that promise easily, and they've had to stop making scents because they've lost suppliers and ingredients.

In the imp: rather sharp, greenish note. There's a hint of the scent of my mother's old Avon perfume bottles, the ones shaped like various women in folk dresses. It's a scent I always associate with generic perfume. On wet: That green and sharp note is still predominant, but it's losing the chemical tang. Initial drydown: I can start making out the chrysanthemum in this, with a hint of marigold spice underneath. No vanilla, no rose, and only a hint of the dryness that might be the autumn leaves. After five minutes: if I stick my nose on my wrist and huff, I get a bit of vanilla under the spicey floral. The too-sharp green note is almost gone. It's funny, when I first read the notes for this, I was a little worried that my skin would amp up the rose too much like it often does in blends with any amount of rose. That isn't happening here. It has gotten better as it's aged, I used to not get away from the chemical tang even on drydown. I know rose and vanilla are both notes that become stronger with aging, so I think this is slowly going to age into something glorious, but it'll take a while. Into the aging box, and maybe by next fall this will be ready for normal wear.

On wet: So my mother had this collection of alcohol-based perfumes in bottles shaped like women from different countries. They were old, and all of the bottles ended up smelling exactly alike. For me, that scent is the epitome of stale perfume. Unfortunately, Prunella on my skin wet is a dead ringer for that scent. I'm not getting the plums, I'm not getting the cream, and I'm not really getting floral, just that funky dead perfume smell. Cross fingers that the drydown morphs spectacularly and lets me smell what Prunella really should be. After twenty minutes: The funky dead-perfume smell has faded away, and I'm getting a bit of plum and cream now. Which is a plus. On the other hand, it's now one of the scents that I have to bury my nose into my wrist to even detect. Sorry, Prunella, you really aren't working well on me. Off to swaps.

Sweet floral candy! This is similar in tone to Rosy Maple Moth in being a candy-toned floral, very light and spring-toned. I am getting a trace of the pink pepper that I loved in Hermia.

In the imp and on wet: Sweet-sharp floral. I think the Heliotrope is dominating. Initial drydown: The sharpness is fading, and a bit more honeysuckle is coming out to play. It's turning out rather lovely. After an hour or so: Yeah, the citrus notes are Sir-Not-Appearing-In-This-Blend. I get a light, sweet blend of honeysuckle and heliotrope. Very pretty, and good for any time I don't want to be wearing anything too heavy or noticeable.

I don't want to push the other blog too much further, so here's the next batch of answers: September 23rd Is there anything you'd like from the Mütter Museum Store? I'd love to try both perfumes, actually. Other than that, there's a few books that look like they might be to my brother's taste, but I wouldn't ask you to get those for me. I just noticed that Cocoa Pink has 5 ml Perfume Atomizers. Yay or nay? Scents you would like? Scents you would NOT like? Nay. Once the alcohol gets introduced, it tends to be what I smell most, and then I get a headache. what's your favorite kind of pizza? Homemade and loaded with veggies. I love artichokes, mushrooms, spinach and whole roasted garlic cloves on my pizza, and I like chewy crusts. I've also had eggplant, summer squash, green and red peppers, and cooked onions on my pizza, and loved all of them. I don't tend to do meat pizzas much. Commercial chains I like: Dewey's at the higher end, Papa John's at the lower end. who are your style/fashion icons? post pics if you want! I think I've mentioned that my style tends toward librarian chic rather than any particular fashion star. I like a lot of Diana Agron's pretty dresses, but Anthropologie and Modcloth are both on the expensive side for me, and I can make the dresses cheaper and fitted better to my bust-waist ratios. Are there any food items you're craving/aren't able to find around your area? Apple butter/Pumpkin butter. It's getting towards that time of year. I live near a Trader Joes, but seldom get things for myself there. <b>September 22nd</b> If you're interested in a handmade pouch/cover for an item you have (phones, tablets, books, keys, kettles...), what would your ideal pouch/cover have? Design, material, additional functionality/features like pockets or lights or secret hidey-holes? Hmm. None of those actually sound like anything I need. I'm considering making my mother a tea cosy for her birthday, but that's about it. Would you like a photo collage based around your interests/favorite colors/favorite themes? Maybe? I'd prefer either a straight out poster or art work, I think. If you're crafty, are you interested in spoonfeather? And if so, what things there delight your eyes? *looks, raises an eyebrow* Not for that price! I can find a lot of pretty cotton prints at a fabric store for a lot cheaper. Colors! What are your favorite colors and what colors do you not like? Pictures and links, people! Blues, almost any shade thereof. Pale pinks, greens with more of a blue tone than a yellow tone. Grey. Purple, cream/white, brown. What is your favorite word? I don't have any favorite words. I don't separate them out like that. (I'm very much a whole to part, not part to whole person.) Ask me for my favorite quotations/book passages instead, I might be able to answer that. What are the feelings on arm warmers? Color, style, texture, length? I've been meaning to make some for myself, but I never get around to it. Prefer soft fibers, elbow length, and you've seen my favorite colors above. Do you like tarts? tealights? jar candles? votives? Anything but tarts, as I don't have a tart burner. I enjoy candles a lot. Jar candles are great, but I do have votive and tealight holders if you send those instead. What's your favorite flavor? Sour, sweet, bitter, salty? Probably sweet. So, are there any online gaming witchees who covet purchasable in-game items or other gamer-y stuff? (yup, geek question) I don't do online gaming like that. Anyone doing anything cool for Mabon (or the start of fall, if you aren't pagan? Not pagan, and not doing anything special for the start of fall specifically. I am going to the Ohio Renfaire tomorrow. What is your favorite coffee blend at Starbucks? If you don't have one, what is your favorite roast of coffee? Maybe a mocha? I don't go out for coffee often. I've tried and enjoyed their pumpkin spice latte once. In general, I like my coffee light and sweet. September 21st Cthulhu: yay or nay? Never read Lovecraft, enjoyed the cameo of Cthulhu in an online fic Jo Graham wrote, but in general, Cthulhu is one that I nod at in general recognition and then walk away from. Is there something that you wish you could do, but you keep putting it off? Travel to Great Britain. It's on my "maybe someday" plans, but I lack the money to just go right now. Put your current mp3player (I am the anti-apple, so no ipod ), winamp playlist, what have you, on shuffle, list the first 10 songs: I did one version of this in the SW thread, so now I'm going to post the first ten of the ones on my 5-star list, so you can see what I actually listen to over and over again. 1. Heart of the Ocean, Gaelic Storm 2. Born in the USA, Bruce Springsteen 3. Landslide, Glee Cast version 4. Tarantella, Arlo Guthry 5. Paint the Sky with Stars, Enya 6. Coal Red Sky, Carrie Newcomer 7. Be True, Carrie Newcomer 8. Something to Sing about, Buffy the Musical 9. Symphony no 3 in E-flat Major, Opus 55 Beethoven 10. Leaves Don't Drop, Carrie Newcomer (I would not have been surprised to see Carrie Newcomer take up over half of this list, really. All time favorite, there.) Witchee, have you made (or are you planning to make) any Lab or Trading post orders soon? And if you did (or plan to), you should share what you're getting I had been planning on getting La Calavera Catrina, but finances are tight and I don't have the job I thought I was getting. I'd also been contemplating getting the Klimpt Tree of Life LE, but I could only justify getting maybe one of those two right now, and Tree of Life is expensive. And I don't need anything at the Post. Do you have any interest in rocks? Not like, polished colorful stones.. but like... rocks. With geologic significance! I like rocks, but my father is a geologist. We have tons of rocks that followed him home. So unless you find something that strikes you as extremely significant, don't worry about rocks. If your witch were to knit you a scarf/shawl/cowl, which would you prefer, and what features would you want? Would you prefer something light and drape-y or thick and warm? What kind of colors would you prefer? Do you have any fiber allergies or preferences? Light and drapy, please. You've seen my color preference twenty times by now, and I don't have any real fiber aversions, though I prefer something with a soft hand. If you have a pet, could you please post a photo of it? I really need to see what your pet, if you have one, looks like. I finally got kitty pictures! This is Eurydice, also called Dicy. These were taken last winter, and I should say that she's grown considerably, and isn't done growing yet. She's a street rescue kitty, and we don't know her exact pedigree, but she has a ton of Maine Coon in her. So she's long, has very long/thick fur, is intelligent, and is mouthy as all get out, hence the name. We tried to rescue her brother, Euclid, but he died of kidney failure three days after we brought him in. Dicy is very glommed onto me. And this is Shroedinger, or Schroedie. She's also a rescue kitty, and this photo is several years old. Schroedie is really my brother's cat, and prefers him above all others. Do you like/own/wear/want fairy wings or something of the like? I don't think I'd wear them enough to make it worth it. How do you feel about terrariums? Not enough room in my life for one right now. What's your favorite horror movie? Eek. I'm not a horror person in general. If your witch was the practical type and wanted to include one or more of your everyday essentials, what would those include? I'm talking about the bath products, lotions, face lotions, teas, food, etc that you really use every day. Tea! On a daily basis, I drink a lot of Vanilla Caramel flavored bagged black tea. I'd love a good Earl Grey or rose flavored tea as well. If I have time/space, I like making loose-leaf teas. As far as bath products and lotions, I love Paintbox, and would really love the Lavender Truffle, the Gingermilk, or Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. I'd use any combo of bar soap, scrub, or lotion from her. Other things I use a lot of are hair things, like hairties and hairsticks. I tend to use the conditioner-only method for washing my hair, and I love Suave for that. I'd like to try the Rosemary-Mint conditioner sometime. Jane Austen .. Yay or Nay? Yay. My favorites are probably Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park, though I enjoy all of her work. I put up quotes I love in my office and studio to get me going, They range from goofy to sarcastic to inspirational... Are you interested in a hand painted quote? Do you have one in mind, or a topic in mind? There's a list of quotes on the side of my livejournal, and all of them are significant to me. But my favorite quote comes from The Little Prince: "People have forgotten this truth," the fox said. "But you mustn't forget it. You become responsible forever for what you've tamed. You're responsible for your rose..." Do you like period or period-styled paraphernalia? Stuff like postcards, notecards, jewelry, office supplies, what-have-you? Sure! My favorite periods are Medieval and Victorian. If you like manga, comics, and/or graphic novels, what is it about them that you like, in general? The story, the art/style, etc? Not a huge manga fan. I loved Sailor Moon because here was this manga/anime that showed all different kinds of strong female characters and let them all be heroes, even the silly, klutzy cry-baby who just wants everyone around her to be happy. If you could choose a Smack, what would it have in it? Equal parts Chocolate Moose and Sugared Roses or Vanilla Bean, Marshmellow and two Mint Medleys or Sugared Rose, Red Woods, Vanilla, and Spice Trade or Chocolate Moose, Espresso, Vanilla, and Mint Medley. I need to stop now, I think. if you could have a salon scent made, based on any artwork(s) what would it be? Posted the pics in the SW thread, but either Ophelia by Waterhouse, or White Cat by Franz Marc Are you scientifically curious and/or process-oriented? Would you like a project-type gift that allowed you do do something like make soap from scratch, take and (nontoxic-ly) develop photographs using a pinhole camera, use plant dyes on yarn or fabric, etc.? That would be fun. I was experimenting with making Ricotta cheese from scratch this summer (it worked), and I'd love to try some more along that line. Or, you know, soaps and candles, either would be a lot of fun. What's 'your' song/your theme song? Ordinary Day by Great Big Sea . What would be your superpower? Healing/Empathy Witchee, would you like a gently used BPAL tshirt? Sure, if you think the design would appeal to me. I'd prefer the tissue tees/babydolls to wear out and about, but I'd also enjoy a regular one as a nightshirt Do you like homemade snack mixes? I know Puppy Chow was mentioned in a previous question, but what about healthier and more natural type snacks like granola or trail mix? You can put a lot of delicious and fun things into trail mix, yeah? If you say "Sure, I'd love some!" what kinds of things do you like/not like in those kinds of snacks, ie coconut flakes, raisins, certain nuts (allergies??), candy, etc. Give us your list of DO's and DON'Ts! My family makes our own snack mix, but I'd love a good granola, especially if it had a lot of dried berries in it. Do you like charm bracelets? If you had a bracelet, what sort of charms would you want on it? Favorite hobbies, symbols, whatever? Like the idea of it, but I probably wouldn't wear it often. My wrists/hands are small and hard to fit, and most bracelets feel like they'll just fall off of me. September 27th What is something people are always surprised to learn about you? Oh dear, I don't know. Maybe that I nearly failed 8th grade because I refused to do busywork homework? Or for a more positive thing, the fact that I once gave a backrub to a Nobel Peace Prize winner. (Archbishop Desmond Tutu, he was in town for a conference and attended my church. I didn't know who he was, but he looked like he needed a backrub, so I gave him one. He kissed my hand in thanks. I was in second/third grade, I think.) So who else watched Babylon 5? Watched it, loved it. Ivonova is God. Marcus is a unicorn magnet. Delenn is simultaneously awesome and scary when she wants to be. If you had to decide what your stripper name was, what would it be? Pet name and street would be Ginger Epworth. I'd probably keep Ginger, and throw in some euphemism. Sooooo Witchees, have you ever taken that particular personality test? If so, are you an Analytical, a Driver, an Expressive or an Amiable? Answered this in the thread, but I'm an Amiable. I'm also an INFJ, an Eneagram 2, and Hufflepuff. Is anyone else afraid of or creepy out by dummies/puppets/Muppets/etc? Other things you're squicked/freaked by that's best left by the wayside? The main things that freak me out are hard to stick in boxes. So I trust you won't be sending me aggressive barking dogs or large crowds of people in too small of a space. what level of contact were you hoping for? I asked for medium to high contact, and you've been doing wonderfully, dear witch of mine. Your favorite restaurant or type of food to eat out. Would you use a restaurant.com voucher? Groupon? I'm sure I've mentioned Dewey's pizza before. I'd also use things for Panera. I'm not sure where else, I don't eat out a lot. Are there any local museums/attractions you keep never getting around to going to? Most of the ones I'm thinking about are actually down in Cincinnati. Newport Aquarium, for one, and it's been years since I last went to the zoo. September 26th Is there any kind of international candy you love or would like to try? I like pocky, would love to try Cadbury's, and in general, would at least be interested in trying anything international you'd like to send. I have had Aussie friends send me Tim-Tams, and I do love them. What is something totally random (yes, that thing that just popped into your head) that hasn't been covered by any previous questions? I really can't think of anything. Is there any cheesy/non-cheesy Canadian stuff you'd be interested in? Maple syrup? Or maple sugar candies. If you were to go here and create your very own chocolate bar, what might it have in it? I answered this in the thread as well. But milk chocolate as a base, and then either blueberries, cranberries, orange and lemon peel, and ginger slices Or lavender, orange peel, and rose petals. Is there anything you're wanting from LPMP? No. say you stumbled into Camp Half Blood (or whatever the Roman camp ends up being named <bounces in anticipation>), which god claims you? Okay, so I went and looked it up. I think I'd either be a daughter of Demeter or Hebe. September 25th Stuff you've been meaning to do: Erm. Not sure right now. Would you be interested in regional jams, jellies, or other preserves? Yes, please. If you have something that you love from your area, I'd like to try it. Do you have any bedtime rituals? Is there any particular product you have to apply or a certain shirt you wear or an act you perform to get you in the "bedtime" mood? Mostly I read until I get sleepy, set up a sleepy-time playlist on my laptop, and roll over and go to sleep. Sometimes I put on TKO or another lavender-heavy blend from BPAL or Possets. Are you interested in today's/any recent Tee Fury shirts? Not a huge t-shirt person. Princess Bride? Yay or nay? Yay! What's your favorite classic fairytale, witches I love The Twelve Dancing Princesses, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, The Snow Queen, and Beauty and the Beast. I also really like the original Little Mermaid story. September 24th how do you feel about ethical animal fiber, i.e. wool and the like? As long as it isn't super-scratchy, sure! What about little wee creatures for your desk or mantel? Cute, but I'm still in an anti-clutter mode. Look down. What are you wearing, right now? Right now, I'm wearing a teal/green scoop-necked sweater, a long grey skirt, and socks. My hair is loose, for once, and I'm wearing a blue topaz heart necklace. Kerchiefs? Cute, but probably not so much for me wearing it on a regular basis. It's the weekend, and you find yourself without a single chore or responsibility for a few hours. Right this very moment, what's the one thing you would do if you could do anything? Take a walk if the weather is pleasant, otherwise I'd read a book or bake something. Or waste a few hours online.

Almond. This one is a very almond scent, going slightly cherry-ish the way some almonds can, There's a hint of cinnamon in this, but otherwise this is a relatively straightforward almond scent. Definitely a keep-the-imp scent, but not a bottle purchase for me.

Hello my new witch, For the most part, I answer SW questions here, instead of in the thread. I can get behind pretty easily, so poke me if there are any specific questions you really want the answer to. What do you want from the Weenie update? La Calavera Catrina! I know I want that one. Others I've got listed in my wishlist, mostly wanting decants. From a little before the Weenie, I also am interested in getting Tree of Life. (I know it might ruin the surprise, but I am thinking of getting these two for myself, so tell me if you want to order them for me. I will be waiting at least a few weeks to get them, since Tree of Life doesn't come down till early October.) Who's into nail polish? What colors/brands? I tend to get cheap nail polish from the drugstores, in interesting/weird colors. I tend to prefer lighter colors and pastels. I have been meaning to try some of the Trading Post's polishes for forever, especially Embalming Fluid and Hell's Belle. Is there a quote (or lyric or part of a poem) that really resonates with you or is your favorite? All of High Flight, John Donne's Meditation 17 (ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee), Sympathy by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Favorite prose quote is from The Little Prince, all of the conversations with the fox. Dream candle? Scent, color, type (tealight, votive, pillar, jar, etc.), throw... I love beeswax candles. Outside of that, I like soy wax. Favorite scents: either vanilla and lavender, or sandalwood and rose together. I've already lucked out and found a soy wax candle that smells like Antique Lace to me: Vanilla Lace by pasoycandles.com Do you like knitted goodies? If so, what would you like and what colors? I do like them indeed! I love blues, greens, and creams. I'd love a lacy shawl, really. Something lightweight, elegant, and large enough to wrap up in. But that's a big project. I'd also love knitted socks/slippers, I don't have experience knitting on double points enough to feel confident making socks yet. Would you be interested in homemade edibles that are NOT sweets? Any specifics? Anything would be very nice. Please to be sending a recipe along if you make me anything. What GC do you live in mortal terror of the lab discontinuing, but never get around to buying? I have bottles of the two I'd most mourn if they left: Mouse's LAST and Chimera. I'd also mourn if Dee, Morocco, Lyonnesse, or any of the others I listed on my favorites died before I had more than one backup imp. In terms of I don't have even a backup imp: Green Tree Viper. Yo, yarnies! Do you Ravelry? If so, who are you over thar? mari4212 there as well. I don't have many potential projects favorited yet. Witchee, do you use a PC or a Mac? PC. What is your favorite animal? Cats as pets. Out in the wild, otters and bats are high up there too. What are you going to be for Halloween? I was thinking of going as Amy Pond. Alternately, I'll pull on a medieval outfit for the day. If you could have a piece of oil painting jewelry (pendant, pair of earrings, or ring) with absolutely anything painted on it, what would it be? (If you prefer wall art instead, same question as above.) Prefer wall art, I love nature, especially trees or water scenes How do you feel about nick-knacks? I'm in a bit of a "no more stuff for stuff's sake" mood these past few months. I'd far prefer either useful things, or small things that can be used up, like candles or BPAL. I will always make an exception for books, and will normally make exceptions for clothes as well. But if it's just going to sit there and look pretty, I'd prefer it attached to the wall. What traditions (family, holiday, or otherwise) are important to you? Christmas/Advent season with my family is big. I think somewhere in last year's blog I listed what all my family does together in Advent and to celebrate Christmas. Others: St. Patrick's day is big. Do you play any video games? Requires a form of hand-eye coordination that has never been my strength. Do you like any anime? Sure. I especially love girls being awesome and strong female friendships. Sailor Moon actually did that phenomenally well. Do you have an E-reader/iPad/something similar that you need a cover/case for? Nope! How much do you like jewelry? Like, if you were to get a shit ton of it during the round, how excited would you be? Don't need a shit ton of it, but I wouldn't mind getting a few pieces. How would you like to receive some of your Witch's favorite recipes, tailored to your likes/dietary restrictions? And specific wants? That sounds fantastic. Do you need any boxes to store your smellies in? What would you store in said hypothetical box--imps, bottles, supplies, all of the above? Actually, I'm good for now. I've got one that's still waiting for me to expand out to it. Favorite Mythological Creature?: Gryphons. Expanding on the hair question - does anyone like those flower clips for the hair that are big right now? Sure. Some of them actually really work on my head. Fascinators fit my face well. Do you like to burn incense? If so, what are your favorite kinds...sticks? cones? resins? What are your favorite scents? Not a huge incense fan, I tend to prefer candles. If you were to receive a gift card, what places would you like to get one from? Amazon is a natural, but right now? Victoria's Secret. My bras are dying and I'm a hard size to find outside of dedicated bra shops. What are your thoughts on comics? Any you like? Any you have been wanting to try? Favorite characters? Not a natural comics person, really. I'm more interested in straight books over comics/graphic novels. Muppets: yea or nay? I have on occasion explained that the best way to get what goes on in my brain is to watch 10 episodes of both Star Trek and Muppets, and then read a Madeline L'Engle book or two. Yes, Muppets. Do you have an affinity for Calvin and Hobbes, Peanuts, The Far Side, and other comic strips? If so, which is your favorite? Not really. Do you like hair things barrettes, headbands, flowers? Yes, especially hair sticks or combs. When you are having a really rough day, what do you like to do/have to make it a little brighter? Make myself a mug of tea, read a long fanfic or novel, especially one where I can cry over the protagonist's woes without wanting to smack them for making their own problems worse, cuddle my kitty, and take a long hot bath. Depending on the weather, I might also go for a long walk before I do some of this. Is there a particular myth/folktale/legend/fairytale/godstory that you're drawn to? I'm Christian, and to an extent, my own religious godstory is the most influential for me, otherwise I wouldn't identify as such. Legend-wise, Arthuriana Fairytale: The Twelve Dancing Princesses If you could see anything, what would it be? Can be a person, an event, a landmark or monument, an object, etc. And it doesn't have to be on this planet, or in this time period. Library of Alexandria, pre-burning. Or just the city of Alexandria under the reign of Cleopatra What #1 actor, director, author and/or musician are you obsessed with? Actor - Erm. Maybe George Takei? So not actor focused, but he's a genuinely great guy. Author - Jo Graham, Mercedes Lackey, Jim Butcher, Terry Pratchett. I can never answer with only one to anything related to books. Director - Don't pay enough attention to them. Musician - Carrie Newcomer Are you interested in anything from the Villainness Bad Apples update? Not really. I've never tried anything Villainess - Harry Potter - a fan? If so, what house are you? Let's put it this way, my major fandom outlet is the Hogwarts Elite community on lj, and I led Hufflepuff house in my college club. Yes, I'm a Harry Potter fan. And I definitely am a Hufflepuff. Who wouldn't want to be known for being just, loyal, and willing to work hard? If you RP, tabletop, forum, or otherwise... Do you have any original characters you'd like to see art of? If so, please give information! Even if it's a link to a web page or a profile or picture! I rped sometimes, but I never popped up art or info about my characters, and both of the games they were in are over. Are you musical? Do you play an instrument, and if so, what? If not, what do you wish you could play or do? I have a clarinet, but I only had one year's worth of lessons. Mostly, I sing. I'd love to learn something else, maybe violin or mandolin. I'd love to play the piano, but I have very small hands and that renders it impractical. Does anyone garden? And if you do, what do you grow? If not, would a starter garden kit be something you'd be interested in? I garden. In the summer we grow veggies and annuals in the front, perennials in the side. My favorites of our plants are the mint, the lily of the valley, and the lilac and rose bushes. Do you decorate for Halloween? Is your decorating taste elegant, kitschy and fun, or scary? I don't decorate much for Halloween except for carving a pumpkin or two. My personal decorating style tends towards more elegant and simple, while also being homey and able to survive small children and cats. Sometimes a tall order. Witchee, do you have any symbols or totems that have special meaning for you? Dragonflies, oftentimes. Also, Gargoyles and badgers. Is anyone fond of programs like Adopt a Tree/Highway/Library/Manatee/Acre of Rainforest/etc?: Edited Yes please! Especially the Bat one mentioned in the SW thread (batworld.org) Pet Gifts: Yup, pleaze. My cats really love toys with organic catnip. What are your top three "I want to try them but I think I'll never get to try them" (or, "I've tried them and I want moar moar moar, but I don't think I'll ever get any") scents/bath oils/sprays? Harp of C'noc whatshisface, either Chastitas or Gula bath oil, and Gypsy Moth Is there a particular artist and piece that you would like a print of? If so, what is your max size that you could spare on your walls? I love the Pre-Raphaelites, and especially Waterhouse, of course. Favorite piece, for a slightly narcissistic reason, is "The Accolade" by Leighton. Otherwise, the Tempest by Waterhouse. Max size: 3" by 4", better size is closer to 2 by 3. I also have loved a lot of the art I've received from forum artists, so if you're one of them, feel free to send me something. If you are in to beauty and makeup related stuff, what kind of stuff do you like? What is your skintone and hair color? Are there any beauty products you've wanted to try but just never purchase? Not hugely into makeup. I wear it like once in a blue moon. I mentioned on my ?aire that I want to get myself brown mascara sometime, just to have in addition to my other "I need to be dressed up" staples. Skintone: very fair, pinkish undertones. Hair: kind of a copper red, naturally. Do you like coffee or tea? Would you be interested in trying some different types? Of course! Tea= happy Mari. Really, I'm a major tea drinker the second the weather gets cold enough for me to drink it without dying of heat prostration. I love flavored black teas a lot, and my new obsession is rose-flavored black tea. I'll drink either bagged or loose-leaf. Coffee is secondary to me, I tend to have a cup first thing in the morning. I do love coffee-flavored things, like ice cream. Are there any CDs/Albums you've been wanting but haven't bought yet? What format do you prefer? I love Heather Dale, and I only have May Queen in her albums. Mostly I get music as cds and copy it over to my computer. I don't have an mp3 player. September 18th Do you wear t-shirts? Are there particular things you like on them? Would you like one designed by your Witch? And, if you don't mind saying, what size t-shirt do you wear? T-shirts aren't my main thing, really. That being said, I do enjoy the geeky culture ones from ThinkGeek, especially referencing Doctor Who, Star Trek, and Firefly. Normally I'm a Medium/Large (I run between sizes 10 and 12 if that helps) And I prefer something fitted, like the babydoll tees. They work better on my figure, which is curvy as all get out. How do you feel about pumpkin scented things? Not perfume related, but soap, candles, etc.... I like them, but it's not something I'm really in love with. Much prefer the scents I've already mentioned as my preferences. Has anyone else heard of or does anyone else love Glamourkin? *looks them up* They're pretty, but more something I would get for my best friend than for me. Especially the "Her Heart Teems with Roses", which is so my friend. So if you want to help me with my Christmas shopping, maybe that. Otherwise, not really for me. September 17th Are you looking for a certain kind of DVDs to spruce up your collection right now? I'd love having my own copies of Lord of the Rings Extended Editions, but I'm pretty sure those are pricey. If you find a copy of The Princess Bride, I'd smile. We only have it in VHS and our video player is long dead. I also like NCIS and BBC Merlin, and would enjoy getting those for the commentaries alone. But I tend to not remember to watch the DVDs I do have, honestly. Does anyone like postcards? Is anyone willing to be a Nacho witch for postcards? I'm not a huge postcard person, don't worry about tracking any down specifically for me. If you want to write me an in-the-mail letter or card though, I'd enjoy it. Anyone going to see any good concerts this fall? Unless Carrie Newcomer comes through town and I hear about it in time, no. Do you like Star Trek? Original TV series, films, spinoff series, etc? Favorite characters? Love Star Trek, everything except Enterprise! Fave Characters: McCoy, Data, Geordi, Dr. Crusher, Picard, Bashier, and pretty much everyone but Neelix from Voyager. Favorite Trek authors: Diane Duane and Peter David Witchee, would you like a framed photograph and of what? Maybe to stick on my walls? In that case, nature scenes, trees, flowers, interesting icicles, pretty rocks, et cetera. September 16th Are you more prone to order out or cook at home? Would you be interested in cookbooks, kitchen utensils, and the like? If so, anything specific? Oh, I cook. Lots. Fascinating recipes would be love. I almost never go out. New question: How do you feel about maple syrup? My mother was raised in Vermont, and she has introduced us to real maple syrup. I love the real stuff, the fake stuff I'd prefer not to touch. How do people feel about little pocket shrines, maybe something inspirational/motivational to keep in their purses/backpacks/whatever? (Like these: http://www.art-shrin...cketshrines.htm) I think I'd lose it way too fast. Do you like Star Wars? Original Trilogy? Prequels? Spin-offs? Favorite characters? Sure, though the prequels were rather bad overall, and would have been much more interesting had they skipped out entirely on Anakin's entire storyline. Though I've decided that the romance between Anakin and Padme works much better if you assume that he's so strong in the force that he's actually force-suggesting her to be in love with him. It would at least explain why she loses so many IQ points as the movies progress. As far as characters, Obi-Wan is awesome. The end. Do you like beef jerkey, I know some may be vegatarian, but where I live beef is a staple and beef jerkey abounds. If so do you it really thin, hard and crunchy or thicker and softer. (OK that borders on obscene)- Not a jerkey fan. Also do you like or racier ecards from time to time and do you need to be warned if something may be not safe to open at work. Prefer not really racy. I don't mind if it's an art nude, but I'm not into visual smut for smut's sake. Doctor Who? Yay or nay? (please don't make me cry by saying nay) Yay! Though I'm not a huge fan of Ten's storyarc, especially the ending of Donna's storyline. Nine was my first Doctor and has my heart, and Eleven is awesome. I have a couple spare Doctor Who stickers. If my witchee is a fan, would they like a couple Doctor Who stickers in their package? The geek part of me likes it, but I don't think I'd actually use them. Anyone love Buffy/Angel? Like and enjoy yes. Not deeply in love, as Whedon enjoys killing off some of my favorite characters. How would you feel about gummies? Like, gummy bears? Gummy werewolves? Gummy vampires? Sure. I like fruit gummies. How would you feel about a totally original Gela-skin for your laptop/iPod/phone? Stickers? Decals? Not super interested right now. Since this is a Halloween round, what's your Creepy threshold? Are you a cartoon bats and smily pumpkins person or a skulls-and-bones the-dead-are-rising kind of person? Are your fairytales dark or Disney? I don't like gore. That being said, I was a Bio major who tended to respond to the dissections with an "ooh, cool!" response. I don't like horror films. And bats don't need to be cartoons. They're adorable as is. (Yes, that means I would love the adopt a bat program linked to earlier.) Are your ears pierced, Witchee? Do you have any other piercings? Would you like to receive any items of jewelry for these piercings? Ears are not pierced, and I have no plans to change that fact ever. How do you all feel about Whoopie Pies? I really don't like them. It's the filling. September 20th Would you like any ecotools makeup brushes? They're kinda one of my favorite things ever, and they're animal-friendly and the handles are bamboo. And to top it all off, they work really well for applying makeup. No, I already have make up brushes from last year's witch. Do you like Legos? Especially mini-fig key chains, Lego block keychains, small Lego sets, etc? My brother loved Legos, and I had to wake him up in the mornings, which means my feet got impaled by Legos more times than I care to recall. So, not really. Since the previous question about "what would you buy from the Lab if you had unlimited funds, etc" left WAY too much to the imagination with no limitations (my answer was pretty much BUY ALL THE THINGS!), what would you do if you found a $50 bill on the ground and a nagging voice in the back of your mind told you that you HAD to spend it on BPAL or else face Death. Also, say they had free shipping (LOL) so don't factor that in. What would you get? And spend it all! Or as close to $50 as you can get. La Calavera Catrina and Morrocco, in bottles. That's 37.50, and then imps of Halfling, Alice, and The Lion. I think that gets me to 49.50. Are there any characters that you love or identify with? Love? Dozens. Just check my lj for my fannish posts. Identify is harder for me to say. Maybe Gwen, from BBC Merlin? She's the most me personality there. A question! If you are crafty, what's your personal art style? I'm not talking just about what art you like to look at, but what kind of art do you like creating? Do you have a "process" while you're creating beauty? I write, mostly. And it's hard describing my writing process except to say that I try to capture the character voice talking in my head. Are there any Arcana Weenies that you MUST HAVE? None are must haves, though Rule in Hell and Serve in Heaven both look interesting. So what say you? IS an "unexpected" visit/in-person witching OK? I'd ask that you call first, just so that I know I'm free. In person witching, well, ask MotherKat how much I tackle-hugged her when she came through town after last year's fall round was over. September 19th What strange misc. items would you love to receive that you just haven't gotten for yourself?: Oh gah. I don't even know, right now. Maybe fine gauge wire? 22-26 gauge. I wrap stones and make necklace/bracelet chains using a wire weaving technique. Seed beads/small pearl beads to string on as I'm weaving would also be liked. How do you feel about franken polish? Are you okay with all chemicals, or would you prefer 3 free? Would you want glitter or holographic glitter? What colors would interest you? Silvers, light greens/purples/pinks appeal to me. I have no particular opinion about franken polish. Would prefer 3-free. Dear witchee, how do you feel about lip balm? Favorite style (twist up tube, pot, tube with wand, etc.)? Favorite flavors? Flavors to avoid? Favorite brand? Do you need more right now or are you set? Are you one of those people who could never have enough lip balm even though you have a bowl on your dresser overflowing with them and 10 in your purse and an order for more on the way? Lip balm is nice, but I don't go out of my way to get it. I liked the looks of the ones on Long Winter Farm Etsy, especially the cocoa-rose and the maple ones. twist tube definitely preferred. Would you be interested in getting fountain pen inks or art supplies via JetPens and or DickBlick? (I know I have a wishlist on JetPens and just love using fountain pens in my artwork) I'd be tempted to play with a fountain pen, at least. -For those interested in watercolors, how would you feel about getting a palette filled with paint from my watercolor tubes but not getting the paint tube itself? (kind of like this but without the covers for the compartments and bigger http://www.flickr.co.../in/photostream) Not a painter. -How do you feel about getting art supplies in general? (copic markers, watercolor, brushes, paint, sketchbooks etc.) My brother and sister are the real visual artists in the family. I'd hand them over to one or the other of them. -How do you feel about Threadless tshirts? Never really looked at them, and I'm not a huge t-shirt girl. If you were turned loose in a basic drug store (CVS, Walgreens - a pharmacy with attached mini-mart, basically!) with a $20 bill, what would you pick up? A bar or so of either Cadbury's or Ghiradelli chocolate, bath salts/bombs, a candle or so, maybe something Burt's Bees related, or a cute cheap nail polish. Darling Witchee, would you enjoy farmer's market pickled veggies (green beans, garlic, asparagus, etc) or fresh canned peaches or something of that nature? Could be fun. Do you prefer color or white photographs? Nature or abstract? Either/All? Prefer nature to abstract. would you be interested in something like this? https://lostcrates.com/how-it-works I don't use that much stationary. Feel free to get me a notebook or nice pen, if it appeals to you, but don't pay that much for a random grab box. Amigurumi, yes or no? They're cute, but not necessary. I have a question! What are some of your favorite paintings? (famous or undiscovered?) Feel free to link to examples! I know I've mentioned some of these before! Love the Pre-Raphelites (art style and subject matter). I love Bottechelli's work, and also a lot of the Impressionist movement. If you could have an image painted for you - sky is the limit - what would it be? Oof. Hard one. Either something in a Pre-Raphelite vein, with a cameo of me in there somewhere (sky's the limit, I can indulge my vanity somewhat, right?) Or some nature/space scene. Not sure if I've mentioned before, but I adore space as well. Comes from being a Sci-Fi geek. Name your 3 favorite scents for candles 1. Beeswax 2. Vanilla and Lavender 3. Rose or Rose and Sandalwood Name your 3 favorite types/flavors of tea 1. Earl Grey (and any variations thereof, Lady Grey, extra bergamot, chocolate [okay, I've never seen chocolate earl grey outside of my creating a blend on Adagio, but I bet I'd love it]) 2. Vanilla and Vanilla derivatives 3. Rose and or chocolate. Again, with all of these, I prefer black tea as the base.